[dawktah2]

WE 300B is long gone. If you find anything cheaper than $3000 PER TUBE consider yourself lucky. This was the first tube to disappear completely.

Quality 12AX7 is much more scarce than 12AU7 which is rather plentiful. 12AX7 is high-mu tube used in different applications than 12AU7. TU-8200 is not designed for 12AX7, don't try it. And biggest improvement to TU-8200 sound comes from swapping out 12AU7 for 12BH7 or better yet E80CC. Read up on it in this thread, don't just do it because those tubes have twice as big plates as 12AU7 and require more heat to stimulate emissions over larger cathode.

Instead of building other amps I stuck to this little gem, made it excellent, made sure I have lifetime supply of awesome tubes and then got a spare amp kit
In my mind you get better results by focusing on a good platform like this and making it perfect rather than trying to screw around with multiple amps.

I will keep that under advisement. I just ordered the EL34 to give a listen. Given reintroduction of 300B I may build 8600 just because of the cage to protect tubes. I am using a rack with 8U locking door to keep my daughter out.

 

[dawktah2]

New EL34 tubes arrived today. First hour can describe sound as a shift to the right towards higher frequencies. I'll give update after burn in.

Tube glass has blue tint.

 

[dawktah2]

Hello All,

Need help troubleshooting. Just noticed I hear a crackle sound in my right ear when nothing is playing. Comes and goes, I still hear the sound when I have no source connected.

Will try switching tubes but was hoping someone could give me an idea if that is a tube thing is a component thing.

--Chris

 

[vkung]

IF NOT TUBE SET ISSUE, PLS CHECK YOUR SOLDERING POINTS

 

[dawktah2]

Swapped driver tubes and crackle sound stays on the right, waiting for cool down to swap signal tubes.

 

[dawktah2]

Degg Nabbitt! Switched the signal tubes and it's still crackling on the right. One other thing I noticed is I can still hear it with volume all the way down. It wasn't doing this before today.

 

[vkung]

check your soldering points...

 

[dawktah2]

Found the problem, will not reassemble until I can get help as to potential causes since I wasn't light on solder here. I think I may have taken a picture during initial assembly.

 

[dawktah2]

Bingo! Found pic when I was switching caps, was burning off then...???

 

[JayKay47]

Solder joint was bad, pin and pad weren't bonded

 

[dawktah2]

Soldered it down on the May 1st, have been listening every evening, noise is beginning to come back. Very low now. Took pic afterwards.

Board was pretty badly burned, cleaned contact, then soldered.

 

[fide]

Hello all,
Dimu wrote about some upgrade of Elekit 8200 for using tubes E80CC. What did he tell about?

Thank you for advice.

 

[ctrlm]

I just pulled the trigger on a fully built unit after a brief audition, it will be my first foray into tube amps. After doing a lot of homework I decided on the Elekit due to this thread and the brand is handled by a local amp builder/repairer, so I have someone to fall back on with potential issues. I won't be cranking her up until I get home tonight. I've already ordered a pair of KT88s to try as well.

My audition was on the Ultra Linear setting. I have no intention of hooking up speakers, it will be headphone only duties. My headphones are Senn HD600 & HD650.

I was wondering which mode people were using based on experience - Ultra-linear, Triode, or Pentode?

 

[JayKay47]

I just pulled the trigger on a fully built unit after a brief audition, it will be my first foray into tube amps. After doing a lot of homework I decided on the Elekit due to this thread and the brand is handled by a local amp builder/repairer, so I have someone to fall back on with potential issues. I won't be cranking her up until I get home tonight. I've already ordered a pair of KT88s to try as well.

My audition was on the Ultra Linear setting. I have no intention of hooking up speakers, it will be headphone only duties. My headphones are Senn HD600 & HD650.

I was wondering which mode people were using based on experience - Ultra-linear, Triode, or Pentode?

I started out with Ultra Linear, then changed over to Triode, and that is where it stays now. I feel the vocals are a little more well delivered in Triode vs UL, albeit with a little less authority in the bass department.

 

[dawktah2]

I'm a new build and I am using pentode for now. I want to get used to I guess I could call it the unmodified setting. Is that a way to describe it?